Surgical splint



(No Model.)

' R. BOPP-E. SURGICAL sPLINT.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

REINHOLD HOPPE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SURGICAL s'PLlNT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,218, dated August 29, 1893. Application filed February l0,- 1893. Serial No. 461,802- (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHOLD HOPPE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Mechanical Surgical Splints; and I hereby declaro the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the same.

My invention relates to a device which I call a mechanical surgical splint.

It consists of supporting plates with rods upon which they are adjustable, and jointed connecting rods attached thereto, with adj usting and regulating screws whereby the plates may be set to any desired position with relation to each other; and in certain details of construction which will be more yfully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows its application to the outside of a joint. Fig. 2 is a view showing the apparatus in position to be used upon the inside of a joint. Fig. 3 is a section showing the construction of the screw and sleeve. Fig. 4 illustrates its application to the back.

The object of this invention is to provide in a simple instrument, a splint which may be used upon fractured limbs or upon the back where there is a curvature which needs gradual straightening and strengthening, and for various other injuries or malformations to the human body.

The device is so constructed that the supporting plates may be iitted upon the outside of a joint, as in the case of an elbow or knee joint, or upon the inside, or upon either side thereof, the plates being movable upon supporting rods to tit any form and shape or position, to which it is desired to set the apparatus, and for any desired pronation.

In the present case I have illustrated my invention 4as applied to a splint especially adapted for the support of broken bones, and injuries near the joints.

A and B are two plates made of any suitable or desired material. In some cases wood may be employed, but I have found that the metal aluminum is very suitable for the purpose, being light and easily manipulated.

C C are two rods having a hinge joint D by which they arepconnected together.

E E are two sleeves adapted to slide and turn upon the rods C C', and these sleeves are permanently fixed to the backs of the plates A and B.

F are set screws passing through the sleeves, by which they are secured to the rods in any desired position, the sleeves turning freely about the rods, or slipping along them, and being afterward secured by the set screws. From each of the rods a standard Gr projects approximately at right angles as shown, and the outer ends of these standards are slotted, one to receive the end of a screw shank I, and the other the end of a tubular rod H.

J is a nut through which the screw I passes. This nut is contained within acylindrical casing J', the sides of which are cutaway, or may -the plates into the position shown in Fig. 1.

When the screw is moved in the opposite direction, the tendency will be to shorten the distance between the standards Gr G', and thus to bend the rods C C about'their joint into the position shown in Fig. 2.

Upon the rod H is tted a sleeve L having a slot M made in it, which ts over a pin N fixed to the tubular rod H and projecting out through the slot so as to act as a guide when the sleeve is moved longitudinally upon the tubular rod H, and to lock the parts when it is turned into a transverse part of the slot at one end. When moved in onedirection, this sleeve slips over the joint K, at which point the rod H and the sleeve J are hinged together, and thus retains these two parts in a straight line, so that when the screw is'turned to enter the nut J and shorten the distance between the two standards G, the screw will pass into the tubular rod Hin astraight line, and as the distance between the posts G G vis shortened by thus shortening the connection, the two rods C will be bent about their hinge point at D until the plates A and B take any ICO between the standards Gand G will form a` triangle which may occupyany position from one in which the joint D forms a right angle, to a position in which it forms a very slightly obtuse angle.

When it is desired to iex the apparatus in the oppositedirection, as shown in Fig. 1, the sleeve L is slipped along the tubular rod H,

being guided by the pin N until the sleeve" has been slipped clear of the'joint K, leaving it free to turn. Vhen this point has been reached an eye O which is formed upon the sleeve L slips over a hook P which is secured to the rod C', and this locks the sleeve to thev rod C. The joint K is then free to turn, and

the screw I, the latter is withdrawn from the tubular sleeve Il, and this allows the latterto be turned out of line with the screw as shown in Fig. l, and the hinge rods C and C then bending about their joint D in the opposite direction to that formerly described, Willoccupy a position as shown in Fig. l, in which case, as before, any desired angle between the two plates Aand B maybe obtained, and this allows the plates to be iitted upon the out-side of the joint. It the plates are to be iitted upon either side of a joint, it is done by loosening the screws F and turning the sleevesE about the rods C, thus setting the plates A and B so that they may it upon the side of the arm or other member, instead of at the front or rear of the joint, as previously described. By this construction I am enabled to turn the apparatus into every possible po` sition which may be needed, and when it is iixed in either of these positions, it is perfectly rigid, and will hold the member to which it'is attached in that position as long as may be desired.

It will readily be seen that in cases of joint fracture where it is necessary that the joint be moved a little each day such a device is invaluable, as by turning the screw I a little ways each day, the joint may be moved in the corresponding direction as far as may be desired, and it may be then returned in the opposite direction, thus keeping the jointfrom becoming stiff, while at the same time the broken or splintered bone, which is close to thejoint, is held sufficiently rigid to allow it to knit and become strong.

By applying the screw with its nut, sleeve andjointed rods to apparatus which is fitted to the back in case of spinal curvature, round shoulders, or other deformity, it will be seen that `the screw can be turned a little each day and thus gradually correct the difficulty.

The apparatus is applicable to all forms of orthopedical work.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A surgical splint consisting of rods having their meeting ends hinged together, plates adapted to fit the part to be treated having sleeves Xed to their backs, and slidable and Jrotatable `upon the rods, and set screws wherebyithe sleeves and plates are held in any desired position upon the rods, slotted standards projecting from the rods at points intermediate between the ends, a screw, the' shank of ,which is hinged to one offsaid standards, and ya tubular rod having one end hinged to the iopposite standards,` a nut turning within a leasing, one end otwhicli is hinged to the tubu# larrod, whereby the nutmay be advanced galong the screw to lengthen the connection between the standards, and thus bend the hinged rods and their attached plates to form :an internal angle, substantially'as herein de- '.scribed; as the nut J is' advanced toward the point of j 2. A surgicalsplint` consistingot rods having their meeting ends hinged together, plates adapted to tit the part to be treated, having :sleeves secured to their hacks and slidable and rotatable upon `the rods, set screwswhereby the sleeves and plates are secured in any `desired position, slotted standards projecting from the rods at pointsinteruie'diate between `their ends, a screw, theshank of which is hinged to one of said standards, a tubular rod nut is advanced along the screw to shorten the distance between the standards, the screw will enter the tubular rod, and the hinged rods are turned about theirjoints so thatthe plates form an exterior angle with each other, substantially as herein described.

3. A surgical splint consisting of rods hinged togetherjat their meeting ends, plates adapted to tit the part to be treated having sleeves secured upon theirbacks slidable and rotatable upon the outer ends of the rods, slotted standards projecting from the rodsat points intermediate between their ends, a screw, the shank of which is hinged to oneof the standards, a tubular sleeve, the outer end of which is hingedto the opposite standard, a case containing a nutr rotatable therein so as t'o advance it along the screw in'eitherdirection, saidcase being hinged to theadjacent end of the tubular rod, a sleeve L slidable upon the tubular rod having an eye 0 IOO formed upon it and a hook P ixed to one of` In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my the hinged rods over which this eye is adapthand. ed to slip and retain the tubular sleeve in position parallel with the rod to Which it is REINHOLD HOPPE' 5 connected While the plates are turned so as to Witnesses:

form an interior angle between them, sub- S. H. NOURSE,

stantially as herein described. J. A. BAYLEss. 

